Changing back to a maiden name

[Mrsnewnames]

This is not really a relationship issue but I thought you lot may be a good source of info.

I regret taking DH's surname- 31 years ago- when most women did.
It's an unusual name and also foreign (his father was from another part of the world, not UK.)

By contrast my own surname is quite unusual too and rare- and I feel quite attached to it in a weird way. I now want to go back to my own name because I don't actually agree any more with women taking their DH's name. I'm a professional, working and although everyone knows me by my married name, I suppose they'd get used to the change.

The question is- how to do it?

Who do I need to tell and what do I do first?

There seem to be so many things I'd need to change- all bank accounts, savings, (ISAs etc), investments, passport, driving licence, Will, deeds to the house...I don't know where to start.

Deed Poll is how I did mine. Cost £9. Then just give everybody copies of it. Is v easy.

That's it- is it? I was reading the Deed Poll site and it looked too good to be true!

I was under the impression that if you weren't divorced or separated it was more complicated and that changing your name back to a maiden name was harder than say choosing any other surname just because ( for example) you didn't like the one you were given at birth etc.

I'd want to change back to my birth name so is it still deed poll?

which site were you looking at?

Yes - it is very simple. You can apparently just print out your own for free and use that, but some folk like banks do get sniffy. I just paid the small fee for peace of mind really.

This is who I used btw

www.official-deedpolls.co.uk/

Yep, deed poll it is. (The only other way to revert to maiden name seems to be with a decree nisi). This website does it for free, and I never had any problems with anyone not accepting it.

freedeedpoll.org.uk/

There's even a section about name changing on the gov UK website now which I think states that all a deed poll requires is the correct wording (unless you enrolled the name, which is usually unnecessary) so you could have that to hand when taking a deed poll to banks et.

30 years ago I kept my maiden name, and it caused a bit of a stir!

I've just done this. Deed poll, I paid extra and got copies as I'm brilliant at losing stuff! Just had mine sent back to me from the passport office with my new passport in my original birth name!

It seems unfair that people nowadays don't always change their surname when they marry but if you wa nt to revert to your maiden name you have to jump through hoops. Anyone know why?

Sent too soon....
why can't I / we just revert to our maiden name when it's on our birth cert? All I had to do to change to my married name was show my marriage cert- so why does it not work in reverse?

Ugh, I don't know. I suspect it has only relatively recently started happening (that women feel they can change their name back to their original one in circumstances outside of divorce), perhaps, so the due process just hasn't developed yet?

To be honest it could be worth trying with your birth certificate, and seeing what banks, HR etc say.

That said, the deed poll is very easy. You can pay for it but there is no legal need. Just take two friends out for a drink and get them to witness three or four different copies. (In case any places need to keep an original copy, you lose one, etc).

Just change your passport - Just looked it up you don't need to change your name by deed poll to revert to your maiden name for a passport. Then use your passport as evidence for everything else.

I always understood that your only real name is that on your birth cert. A 'married' name is an assumed name. You can have as many as you like .

Are you sure about that Catz - this is what I've found online:

'4. Going back to your maiden name
With your passport application form, you must send:

• your birth certificate
• a signed statement saying you’ve gone back to your maiden name for all purposes
• your decree absolute
• a marriage certificate showing both names'

why can't I / we just revert to our maiden name when it's on our birth cert?

You can. The signed declaration is just that, it doesn't have to be paid for or done via deed poll or a lawyer.

There is a lot of crap about name changing out there, even worth officialdom. You don't have to be divorced to go back to your birth surname so that's bollocks.

Argh! It all seems confusing. Lots of different opinions here.
If for example I want my will re-writing in a different name, then the sols I assume would charge for that? What about Certificates of investments from building societies and other financial companies? What about the house deeds ( our mortgage is paid)?

This is the official government page on deed polls, if required.

You don't have to be divorced to resume your maiden name, so the earlier list for changing a passport, is good, you just won't need to send a decree absolute, just make sure you're signed statement says that although married you are resuming your maiden name.

Because you can use any name you want in this country, as long as there's no intent to defraud.

Ehric and Fry

So - all you'd need would be a signed statement (not necessarily a witnessed deed poll) stating your intention to revert to your birth surname? I wish the gov.uk page on passports and returning to your maiden said that a bit more clearly - it seems to imply that the decree absolute is required, which is one of the reasons I went for a deed poll myself!

That said, OP, if you don't necessarily want to change your passport first (time, expense you may want to delay, etc), a deed poll may be the path of least resistance in some circumstances. My bank was easy-going but my university insisted that name-changes could only be officially implented with a deed poll or (in the case of changing upon marriage) a marriage certificate. So I'd advise you to just ask the main bodies you'll be changing your name with what their requirements are.

Thanks all. I will make enquiries. I was under the impression that deed poll was only required if you wanted to change your name completely- eg if I wanted to call myself Mrs Slithytothe, and my maiden name was Smith and my married name was Jones.
As you don't have a legal obligation to change your name on marriage, I can't see the logic in needing a legal document to reverse it.

Would I still use Mrs- ie Mrs Smith or would I revert to Miss?

Or Ms ?

I have a deep dislike of Ms. I'm not unhappy being a Mrs- I just want my family surname back. We've been doing quite a bit of family-tree stuff and I feel a deep connection with my ancestors going back to the 16thC in one particular part of the UK. I want to be a part of that- not DH's family name which is from overseas.

What's wrong with Ms?

Before my divorce was finalised I had some sort of official statement (NOT Deep Poll) done by my solicitor. Don't think it was essential but had it in case I needed to show something 'official' to banks, etc.
Your birth name is always your true name as far as I recall. And you can call yourself whatever you like so long as your not doing it to defraud anyone.

Re. the use of Mr/MrsMissMs - I don't know why we even bother to use any of those titles - makes absolutely no difference to anybody else, does it?

There may be instances where I need some kind of 'proof'. I am self employed so all my tax etc is under my married name and that is down to me to change.
I asked about the 'title' because most online transactions ask for it- as do any forms for anything, often mandatory.
I don't like Ms but this is not an argument about that. (I'm old enough to remember when there was no Ms option) and in my view you are either a Miss or a Mrs. Ms was originally often used by divorcees who didn't want to say they were married but neither did they want to give the impression they were never married.
I asked about Mrs/Miss because married actresses use 'Miss Judi Dench' ( or Dame as she is now) not Mrs JD because theoretically she is Mrs Michael Williams, or Mrs Judi Williams. so I wondered if the birth name and the title had to match.

You absolutely do not have to use deed poll.

Think of it this way: when you get married, you gain the RIGHT to use your H's surname officially if you choose. You don't have to do anything to do that- you don't renounce your old name, you simply get ID in the new name if you want to, and for that you need the marriage cert. But your maiden name is still YOUR name. It's still on your birth cert. You can use both if you want, and change your ID back to your other name (maiden) at any time.

You are not 'changing' your name - your maiden name always remains yours.

The officialdom is simply companies/banks etc. needing to fulfil THEIR criteria for fuss and red tape. All you have to do is get your passport changed, and for that you simply need to write yourself on a bit of paper confirming that you are going to use your other name - just as it says.

Once you have your passport, you use that to change 'lesser' IDs.

And if any bank, utility tells you you can't, tell them you'll be taking it up with the ombudsman. Because you can.